Improvement in railway-switches



WITN ESSES.

2 Sheath-Sheet B. ALEXANDER, dacd. FINNELLA M. ALEXANDER, Admx.

Railway-Switches;

Paten'tedNov. 11,1873.,

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No l44,37 9.

WITN ES'S ES.

MI. PHOTD-LITIIQGMFIIIG 04 M X laments Moms) STATES PATENT QFFIGE FINNELLA M ALEX ANDER, OF WASHUGTON, DISTRICT OF OOLU'lWBIA, AD- MINISTRATRIX OF JOSEPH BELL ALEXANDER, DECEASED.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAV-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,379, dated November 11, 1873; application filed February 6, 1872.

, T01 an whom it may concern:

Be it known that JOSEPH BELL ALEXAN- DER, M. D., deceased, late of Washington, District of Columbia, (FINNELLA M. ALEXAN- nnn, administratrix,) did invent certain Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification:

The invention consists of an automatic railwayswitch, in which an attachment to the 10- comotive or pilot is made to set the switch in advance, as may be desired by the engineer of the said locomotive. This invention is an improvement upon the automatic railway-switch for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to the said Josnrn BELL ALEX- ANDER April 30, 1867.

In the improved form, the broad plate midway between the rails of the track is dispensed with, as are, also, some other parts; and, in place thereof, cross-bars are attached to the central rod or fulcrum, and support the vertically-movable rails of the switch. Independent guard-rails are used for the inside faces of the wheel-flanges, and are locked in position when brought into operation. Arrangements are afl'orded for operating this switch by handlevers, when required, without interfering with the control of the same by the engineer on a train subsequently approaching.

As in the former patent already cited, the switch is operated by the pressure of an attachment to the locomotive or pilot, which comes in contact with one or another, as the engineer may direct, upon two supplementary rails laid down between the usual track-rails, and the depression of which said rail lowers the switch-rail on that side and elevates it on the other side, so that the locomotive and train V are caused to deviate toward the side corresponding to that of the said depressed rail. As in the former patent, to which reference has been made, the locomotive has a rollercarriage, which may be adjusted by the engineer so as to act upon one or the other of the supplementary rails, as he may elect, accordin g to the direction in which he may desire to proceed, upon the right or the left track, which divaricate at the switch. In the former patent this adjustable portion oscillates in a vertical plane to bring the roller in contact with one or the other of the said supplementary rails. In the invention which is the subject of the present specification the roller-carriage oscillates in a horizontal plane, its axis being vertical, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Figure 1 is a top view or plan. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section in the line as 00, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the operation of the hand-switch. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section at w as, looking in the direction of the arrows 2, and showing the approaching locomotive. Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5 illustrate the application of parts, of the new improvements to the form of switch-rails described in*a previous patent, above referred to. Fig. 6 is avertical transverse section, illustrating another part of the improvements, which consists in jointing the switch-rails to the cross-bars.

In the drawings, I and I are the track-rails, resting upon the usual sleepers or ties. A is a central fulcrum or axis, resting upon j ournals on the sleepers, and lying parallel to and midway between the track-rails. On this axis are fast ened a number of cross-bars, B B B,uponwhich rest the supplementary rails E E, which are actuated by the switcher, as it maybe termed, on the locomotive. Upon these cross-bars B B rest also the switch-rails O G, which are not moved in a horizontal plane to control the line of direction of the locomotive and train,

but are adjustable vertically and simultana ously, so that as one rises the other falls, the upper one being the operative one, and the depressed one being removed below the level of contact with the wheel or its flange. L L are independent looks or guide-sections, which rise or fall simultaneously with the switch-rails to which they are adjacent. The one which is elevated at any time is locked in position by the pressing against it of the upper surface of the blocks 13 beneath it, so that it cannot fall against the switch-rail and close the passage for the car-wheel flange. In Fig. 5 the guiderail L is shown elevated into working position, and so lifted and laterally stayed by the block B beneath it that it rests against the side of the elevated supplementary rail E. These look or guard rails L L are independent, and are operated by the rising and falling of the cross-bars B B beneath, the upper or operative look, for the time, being fastened in effective position. The vertical pressure of the wheelrlange on the guard-rail, which is, for the time being, depressed, also serves to lock the switch. The parts may be arranged to effect the looking by the lateral bearing of the wheels against the elevated guard-rail, or the vertical press- 'ure of the opposite wheels on the depressed guard-rail, or by both together.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are shown the hand-switches,

which may be operated at any time to bring simultaneously. The cam, playing on the un-' der surface of the switch-rail, pushes it upward, and then, retiring, leaves the switch, though changed in direction, entirely free to be operated by the engineer of the train, if he so desire.

On the front of the locomotive, the fore truck, or the pilot are bearings for a movable rollerearrier, a, in which a roller, 0, is journaled. This carrier-called a "switcheris capable of rotation in a horizontal plane, so as to bring the roller over either of the supplementary rails E E, as the engineer may elect. The carrier a is rotated by the chain d, which is under the control of the engineer. If the train be traveling in the direction of the arrows 3, Fig. 1, and it be desired to swerve the train to the left, the roller 0 on the carrier 0. will be brought over the supplementary rail on the left hand, and the switch-rail G will then be depressed out of the way of the ear-wheel, while the switch-rail C will be raised.

The switch-rails O 0 maybe firmly attached to the cross-bars B B; or they may be jointed thereto, as shown in Fig. 6, where S S are the centers of oscillation of the said switch-rails.

The arrows 3 3 indicate the course of the 10- comotive as the switch is set in Fig. 1.

WVhat is claimed as new in this invention 1s- 1. The right and left looks or guard-rails L L, independently journaled, and operated, in concert with the switch-rails O O, by the rocking of the bed-frame A B B, substantially as described and represented.

2. The handsnitehes shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for independent action on the switch-rails, Without affectin the control of the same by the engineer of a subsequeiitly-approaching train.

3. The switclrrails (J 0, arranged to oscillate on the supporting-bars B B, as shown in Fig. 6.

4. In combination with the oscillating frame A B E E and switch-rails G O, the arm a, mounted on avertical axis in bearings d e, and adjustable in the manner shown, so as to place the roller 0 on either rail E or E, as required.

FINNELLA M. ALEXANDER,

A dm'i'nistmtr'iw.

Witnesses V Oc'rnvrus KNIGHT, WALTER ALLEN. 

